A Land With Magic
by Solora Goldsun
Summary: The introduction of magic into this realm comes with many blessings and banes. Will the newly-awakened inhabitants of Storybrooke flourish, or has Rumpelstiltskin released an entirely new and greater curse upon them?
1. 8:15

**Okay, Once Upon a Time is my absolute favorite show, but I haven't been able to come up with a good fic idea until now. That was the BEST FINALE EVER! Did anyone else bawl like a baby when Belle and Rumpelstiltskin saw each other again? I mean...IT WAS SO FREAKING BEAUTIFUL! I want to write a chapter fic about what happens following the finale. Since we're gonna have to wait until fall to see the next season, I feel that I should provide you guys with some awesomeness.**

BELLE'S POV

"I...I don't understand..." Belle whispered as a cloud of violet rose out of the well. What had Rumpelstiltskin done?

"We're in a land without magic, Belle." He explained, moving close and wrapping a possessive arm around her. "And I'm bringing it. Magic...is coming." Rumpelstiltskin's face was bright with hunger as he gazed at the rising, evil-colored smoke.

"But, why?" Belle blinked, her voice trembling as she looked at the gleam in his eye.

"Why?" Rumpelstiltskin repeated, his voice momentarily shaking with barely-suppressed glee and anticipation. "Because magic..." He turned toward her, as if to whisper a cherished secret. "...is power!" He turned away again to admire the effects of his deed.

Belle stared fearfully at the enraptured face of Rumpelstiltskin as the strange smog billowed around their ankles. Her skin tingled in a way that was almost painful as wave after wave of magic passed over them, through them, around them.

Had he really changed so little? Was he still nothing more than a sad, cowardly man who lusted for power?

'No!' Belle reminded herself as her beloved's calloused hand gave her arm a gentle squeeze. She thought back to how his teary eyes had desperately devoured her form when she had first entered that shop. She still felt the warmth of the hug they had shared. The Rumpelstiltskin of before never would have been so open. 'No. He's changed...a little, at least.' She silently affirmed.

"You're frightened." His silky voice murmured. Belle hadn't noticed him shift his attention from the rapidly-expanding cloud to her face. His eyes took on a slight hint of that old, confused fear that they had so often carried.

"A little." Belle admitted, regardless of Rumpelstiltskin wounded look. "What are your intentions?"

Rumpelstiltskin swallowed slightly, his gaze turning slightly frantic, though he tried to hide it. "I'm making this world better." His previously-steady smile turned shaky as another wave passed over. "The curse is broken, so there's nothing keeping the magic away!"

"Alright." His heartbreaking worry caused Belle to withdraw the other questions that plagued her mind. She could ask him later. They had time. Smiling, she placed a tender hand on his cheek and gazed earnestly at his face. "Just promise me that you won't be afraid to love anymore. Do that, and I'll gladly follow you anywhere, no matter what you decide to do. I want to know everything that has happened, but you don't have to tell me now. Right now, just promise me that you'll let me love you this time."

"Belle..." His voice was rich and deep, a stark contrast to the high-pitched, hysterical sound that Belle had grown to love. "I will never leave your side again. You have my word." A slight smile came to his face. "Why don't we make a deal?"

Belle blinked. "A deal?" She shivered as another cloud passed through her. It felt so strange: warm, chilly, and filled with electricity.

"Yes." Rumpelstiltskin knelt on the ground in front of her, sighing as misty tendrils caressed his shoulders and neck. "I will never question your love again. In exchange, I hope that you will forgive me for what I did to you." He blinked rapidly, fighting back tears.

"Rumpel-" Belle started to speak.

"I don't ask that you forgive me now!" He added hastily. "Just say that you will someday."

"Rumpelstiltskin!" Belle said firmly. The kneeling man stopped and blinked up at her. She smiled and knelt down so that they were at eye level again. "I forgave you the moment I remembered."

Rumpelstiltskin's eyes widened with disbelief. A tear succeeded in trickling down his cheek and he choked on a sob. "Oh, Belle..." He drew her close and nestled his face into the crook of her neck. "Thank you."

The desperate love, gratitude, and lingering self-hatred in his voice erased whatever remained of Belle's doubts. Whatever would come, she would face it at Rumpelstiltskin's side. She was ready for anything at that moment, even the final rush of magical energy, which nearly toppled her over.

Rumpelstiltskin held her tightly as a gust of wind whistled through the trees. The two looked upward as the spreading violet cloud began to dissipate in the wind. It grew thinner and thinner before vanishing entirely.

Belle looked at her true love just in time to see a red spark light up in his moistened eyes. He returned her gaze and grinned, his face taking on a familiarly maniacal overtone. "It is done. This world is now a land of magic!"

…...

EMMA'S POV

"You okay?" Emma stood up and walked over to the nurse, who had suddenly dropped her clipboard and was now staring out the window with a strangely blank expression on her face.

It was immediately evident why: Rising over the trees, rushing toward them rapidly, was a rumbling wave of purple smoke.

Emma's mouth fell open as her limbs froze. She stared fixedly at the approaching cloud. "What is that?" If anyone knew, Henry would.

His response did little to alleviate her fear: "Something bad." His young voice trembled and his face was growing pale.

Instinctively, Emma put a hand on her son's shoulder and drew him close. He felt cold under his white hospital gown and she rested her head on top of his, rubbing his shoulders to warm them. Trembling, he nestled trustingly against her.

The cloud drew closer and the air began to feel strange. One second, it was like ice. The next, it was a hot puff of dry, desert air. Every moment, however, was consistently buzzing with electricity, or something very similar to it.

Within seconds, any hope of seeing was dashed as Emma's world turned violet. As the haze engulfed her, she felt her blood hum in her veins, sending waves of combined fear and intense desire. Rapidly, the desire was winning against the fear. She began to pant, holding onto Henry for dear life. She could hear his voice speaking into her ear, but not his words.

She was breathing in magic, inhaling static ice and fire into her lungs.

Bathing in volcanic, icy, shocking water.

Falling through a starry, sunlit, nebulan sky.

The cloud began to settle, but Emma's heart didn't. It pounded with a new fierce energy. The desire subsided, but did not vanish, choosing instead to curl up quietly in a corner of her heart, like a drowsy beast. The beast closed its eyes and Emma could finally hear and see once more.

"Emma! Emma!" Henry was staring up at her. "I can't breathe!"

"Oh! Sorry, kiddo." Emma quickly let go and moved back. She looked around. Everything looked the same. The nurse was regaining her composure and walking off to consult with her fellows. The air, however, still carried a tiny spark that hadn't been there before. It felt more...alive. "What happened?"

Henry stared out the window, his young brows furrowed. "I think it was magic."

"Magic." As Emma spoke the word, the beast in her heart seemed to nod its head in affirmation. "Yeah. I think it was." She frowned. "But, isn't this supposed to be a world _without_ magic?"

"It is." Henry stood up. "You didn't bring it, either. Someone else did."

"Who?" Emma asked before realization dawned on her. "Mr. Gold! He took the bottle of true love and ran- I'm going to kill him!" She snarled suddenly as she remembered the slimy deal-maker's deception.

"You can't kill him." Henry said. "He's too strong now."

"Don't underestimate an angry mother, Henry." Emma growled quietly, glaring out the window. 'Mr. Gold had better have a good excuse.' She thought to herself. 'Or, he's dead!' The beast growled in agreement.

…...

SNOW'S POV

Snow held onto Charming's arm as she stared at the purple cloud that was rising over the trees and rushing toward them. She nearly choked on the strange air that came with it.

As she breathed, she became aware that something within her was reawakening. It was a part of her that had been dormant for years and was only now realizing that it was time to awaken. In an instant, she knew what was happening.

'Magic!' She stared at the evil cloud one last time before yielding to her heart's desperate need to bury herself in her love's chest and clutch him tightly. She felt him shudder with her as a frosty, burning, sparking sensation passed through every part of their bodies. She didn't open her eyes until the air settled once more.

Though, it didn't settle completely. There was a new liveliness to it that wouldn't go away. The earth beneath Snow's feet and the sky above seemed to be waking up for the very first time.

"Snow." Charming's tremulous voice cut into her musings. "Look." He was staring upward, his eyes glinting fearfully.

Snow followed his gaze and gasped: The clock tower was no longer ticking. The hands had frozen on 8:15! She slowly turned away from the tower and locked eyes with Charming.

In an instant, they both spoke the word that had sprung to the front of their minds: "Emma!"

Without another word, the two turned and ran toward the hospital.

…...

HATTER'S POV

Jefferson's face lit up with an insane smile as his sparkling eyes regarded the approaching spectacle. He inhaled deeply, his eyes still open and his mouth wide and flashing rows of glittering teeth. He walked forward, holding out his arms as if to embrace an old friend.

He burst out laughing as the wave hit him. His fingers crackled with suppressed lightning and his eyes flashed blue, violet, and green. His tongue darted out of his mouth, tasting the sharp air.

Still giggling gleefully, he turned around and ran back into his house. As the cloud began to fade, he emerged, carrying a large black cloth hat. With a tiny "Whee!", he threw it. It began to spin and a myriad of new worlds opened before him.

The cloud disappeared and, at Jefferson's command, the hat stopped spinning. His face grew solemn as he stooped down to pick it up. Running a hand over it, he breathed a longing sigh and turned his head toward the house that contained his daughter. The only sign of his mad outburst was the slight twitching in his right eye.

"It works!" He breathed, his voice melding with the charged air, creating tiny sparks on his tongue. "It works..."

**My first reaction when Rumpel released the magic was: "OMG YOU FREAKING IDIOT!" But now that I'm calm, I'm very glad that the writers did what they did. Let's face it: This series would not be the same if Rumpel automatically became all good with the arrival of Belle. This will be a slow process of recovery for him, and I look forward to seeing how it plays out! Just so you know, I plan to have multiple pairings in here, but I don't intend to focus too much on Snow and Charming. (We get plenty of that on the show.) Rumpel/Belle, Grumpy/Nova, and Jefferson/Emma will be the biggies. ^_^ Hope you guys will stay tuned! Peace out!**


	2. Operation Viper

***sigh* They aren't gonna play repeats of Once Upon a Time on Sundays. What a bummer. And Hulu will only play episodes if I get a membership. ABC doesn't have all of the episodes and the DVD won't be out till August. Gosh darnit... It looks as if I'm not the only one who will have to have a steady diet of fanfiction to keep myself from getting withdrawal.**

EMMA'S POV

Emma wanted nothing more than to walk out of that hospital and find out exactly what was going on. Afterward, she'd begin work on Mr. Gold's gravestone. She didn't move, though. Henry still had a few tests to undergo, and Emma was _not_ going to let him out of her sight. Not now, not ever.

The strange, invisible beast that had taken up residence in her chest let out a defiant growl.

"Don't worry, Miss Swan." The nurse assured the onlooking mother. "It's just a routine check to make sure that everything is working."

"Doesn't 'True Love's Kiss' fix everything?" She asked, impatient to leave, but unwilling to take a step away as Doctor Whale took Henry's temperature.

The nurse nodded. "Of course it did, but we do need to adhere to this world's mundane procedures."

"Well, he looks perfectly fine." Doctor Whale said, straightening up. "I'd tell him to take it easy, but that seems futile, considering the circumstances." He glanced worriedly toward the window, clearly referring to the violet cloud.

"Thank you!" Emma nodded at Henry. "Get your clothes on, kiddo. We have business in town."

"Gotcha!" Henry grinned. "Operation Viper is underway!" Jumping from the examination table, he grabbed his clothes bundle and went into the bathroom.

"Operation Viper?" Emma blinked, approaching the door. "What happened to Operation Cobra?"

"Operation Cobra was a success!" Henry explained over the muffled sound of his shirt being pulled over his head. "We need a new name for our next project."

Emma smiled, folding her arms. "And, what is Operation Viper?"

"Magic has been brought to this world. We need to find out why. Also, we need to figure out how to send everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Now that they know who they are, they're gonna want to go back home." He opened the door. His shirt was on backward. "And we're gonna find the way there!"

"Switch your shirt around first, kiddo." Emma chuckled. "The leader of Operation Viper will have to be presentable."

Henry blinked. "Whoops!" He pulled his arms into his sleeves and turned the shirt around without even taking it off. "Okay, that's better." He grinned brightly. "But, I'm not Operation Viper's leader. You are."

"Oh, no." Emma shook her head. "_You_ were the one to believe in Operation Cobra. It's because of _you_ that I believe now. _You_ are the keeper of the book. _You_ need to be in charge here."

Henry tilted his head at her for a moment before nodding. "Alright!" He said. "In that case, follow me!"

"Where are we going?" Emma asked as he opened the door.

"We need to talk to the Mad Hatter." He explained. "If there's magic in this world, then maybe his hat works now."

"Whoa!" Emma put a hand on her son's shoulder. "There's no way you're going anywhere near that-!" Her words were cut off as a warm body nearly knocked her over and a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her. A second, larger figure quickly followed, pressing her tightly into the impromptu group hug. "Hn...?" She moved her face away from a surface of soft fabric and found herself looking into the rapturous face of Mary Margaret.

Mary's eyes were full of tears as she leaned in to kiss Emma's cheek. "Oh, Emma. We're so proud of you!"

Behind her, Emma felt David rest his head on top of hers. "Well done, Emma. Well done." His voice was shaking with emotion.

Emma blinked, her throat tightening and her heart rapidly flooding with a thousand conflicting emotions: happiness, anger, elation, fear, love, confusion. Shaking her head, she pushed herself away from her newly-reawakened parents. "Hold on." She managed to choke. "Give me... Give me a moment, okay?" She held up her hands. "This is a lot to take."

Looking clearly at her parents for the first time, Emma noticed a major difference between now and how they had been. They were no longer confused, controversial, timid lovers. They were confident, pure, and strong. His eyes were like chips of an untainted sky and hers were like pieces of warm wood. They both had relieved, sad, overjoyed smiles on their faces.

Mary was the first to regain her composure. "Of course, Emma. I understand." More tears fell and her smile grew more gentle and solemn. "We'll have plenty of time to talk, when you're ready."

"We wanted to give you the opportunity to have a good life." David said, licking his lips, clearly trying to get a handle on his emotions. "You were our only hope."

"I know all that." Emma said, waving a hand dismissively as she managed, through years of practice, to steady her voice and force the lump in her throat to subside. "Henry told me everything, and I understand." She glanced at her son, who was observing the scene silently, and smiled. "Believe me, I understand."

She turned back to her parents and regarded them seriously. "Throughout my life, I've imagined what it would be like to see my birth parents. I imagined them being wonderful angels who were forced to give me up. I imagined them as drug addicts wasting away in an alley." Mary winced at this. "I imagined hundreds of things to say to them, both hateful and loving."

Emma shook her head slowly, a bemused grin coming to her face despite her inner turmoil. "But, I _never_ imagined that they would be my age."

David and Mary blinked, dumbfounded, as if this thought hadn't even occurred to them. David stared at his wife for a moment before turning his gaze back to his daughter. A bright grin came to his face and he started laughing. "Well, it's every mother's dream to be mistaken for her daughter's sister!"

Mary stared for another moment before also starting to laugh.

Emma blinked rapidly as she listened to her parents' laughter. All at once, her reserve faded away and she approached them once more, throwing her arms around her mother, laughing and sobbing at the same time. She then turned to her father and smiled as she was pulled against his warm chest. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Henry, who was unable to refrain any longer, rushing into his grandmother's arms.

David touched his lips to Emma's forehead as he held out a hand toward his grandson, clasping his hand tightly. "You brave, brave man." He murmured fondly, still holding Emma close with his other arm.

Mary looked as if she was about to burst with happiness as she planted kiss after kiss on Henry's face before standing up and pulling Emma into another hug.

Henry, who was now pressed against Emma's side, let out a muffled exclamation. "Guys! Guys!" He broke away hurriedly. "We'll have time for this later. Right now, we need to enter the first stage of Operation Viper!"

Mary, unwilling to dislodge herself from Emma, elected to simply turn her head toward Henry. "Operation Viper?"

"Operation Cobra was a success." Emma explained, moving her head away from David's chest. "Henry says that our next step is to figure out what released that magic cloud and to find a way to get everyone in Storybrooke back to the Enchanted Forest."

"I like the theme you have with the names of these Operations." David commented, smiling.

"We're going to see the Mad Hatter." Henry said. "His hats could have the ability to get everyone back home."

Mary's face immediately darkened. "You are not going there."

"That's what I was telling him." Emma agreed, folding her arms as she looked at Henry. "Listen, Henry, Jefferson kidnapped Mary Mar-" She paused, faltering. "Er...I mean..." She glanced uncertainly toward her mother.

Mary shook her head dismissively. "Whatever you're comfortable with."

Emma smiled gratefully before continuing. "He locked up Mary Margaret and tried to kill me. He's crazy."

"Well, yeah." Henry looked at her as if she had just told him that the sun was hot. "He's the _Mad Hatter_."

"Henry, I-"

"Look, am I the leader of Operation Viper or not?" Henry folded his arms stubbornly. "Trust me."

"Fine, but you have to stay with David and Mary." Emma declared. "I'll go to see Jefferson on my own."

Henry sighed, but didn't argue. "I guess he'd rather talk to you."

"I should go with you." David said, his brows furrowing.

"No." Emma shook her head. "That might scare him off. It's fine. Since the magic is here, he probably won't try to have me make any more hats. I'll call if something comes up." Noticing her parents' concerned faces, she rolled her eyes. "I won't drink any tea. I promise."

Reluctantly, they agreed. However, their plans were put on hold as they walked out of the hospital. Waiting outside, sitting on a bench, clutching a wooden whale in his hands, was Marco.

The old man looked up at Emma and the look of grief on his face was heartbreaking. "Where is he?" He whispered. "Where is my son?"

Emma froze, her eyes widening. In all of the excitement, she had completely forgotten! "August!" She gasped.

…...

BELLE'S POV

As they walked further into the woods, Belle kept half an eye on Rumpelstiltskin. That reddish glint in his eyes hadn't gone away, nor had that look of hungry excitement. He was no longer the beast he had been before, but he was certainly not a man yet.

Her unease dissipated, however, as he turned to look at her. His face immediately took on an unbelievably tender expression and his eyes glittered gently. It was almost enough to mask the red spark. "How are you feeling, dearie?" He asked, squeezing her shoulder lightly.

Belle smiled at him. "I'm fine. What are we going to do now?"

"We are going back to my house." Rumpelstiltskin replied. "You've been through a dreadful ordeal and I have much work that still that needs to be done. You are to take my room and sleep until tomorrow morning." He touched a finger to one of the dark circles that marred the area beneath her eyes. "No arguments."

"Yes, _father_." She said sarcastically. As the words left her mouth, however, she paused. "Rumpelstiltskin...where _is_ my father?"

The red spark lit up again in his eyes and he steered her more rapidly, hitting the ground with his cane every time he took a step. "Come. You need to sleep."

"Is he alive?" Belle dug her heels into the ground, looking firmly at her love's face.

Rumpelstiltskin hesitated. "He is..."

"What, then-"

"You need to sleep." Rumpelstiltskin insisted as they came to a large, shadowed house. "No more questions now."

Belle sighed, noting his panicked/stubborn expression. "Very well, but I want to hear everything tomorrow morning. Understand?"

The red spark lit up brightly for a brief second. There was a pause, during which Rumpelstiltskin fought to control some bitter, angry emotion. The spark dimmed and he nodded. "Of course, Belle. I will tell you everything tomorrow. You have my word."

Belle studied his face for a moment before nodding, satisfied that he was telling the truth. "Alright." She watched as he unlocked the door and entered the house. He led her up the stairs and opened one of the doors.

"I will bring you new clothes shortly." He told her. "The bathroom is in the next room. You may shower and..." He paused, trailing off awkwardly, as if a thought had suddenly occurred to him.

Belle tilted her head. "What is it?"

"Er..." Rumpelstiltskin frowned. "Do you know how to...?" He gestured vaguely toward the bathroom.

Belle laughed at his nervous attitude. "You don't need to show me how to use the shower. They had one in the asylum."

An odd expression of combined relief, pain, and guilt moved across his face before he quickly cleared it away and nodded. "Very well, then. I'll return to check on you shortly."

Belle nodded. "Alright." She took a step forward to kiss him, but he shied away as she approached. Her brows furrowed, but she was suddenly too tired to pursue the matter. Instead, she subtly nodded and reached out to brush a strand of silvery brown hair from his cheek. "I love you." She whispered as she lightly caressed his face.

Rumpelstiltskin let out the tiniest sigh of relief and allowed his face to lean into her hand. "I love you too, Belle." For the tiniest moment, the red spark in his eye vanished entirely.

…...

NOVA'S POV

"I'd like to renounce my vows." Nova kept her eyes downcast as she addressed the Mother Superior, who was now beginning to look more and more like the Blue Fairy. Ever since that pulse of magic had spread across the town, the nuns had started showing signs of growing their wings back and regaining their fairy powers. The Blue Fairy's sky blue dragonfly wings were particularly prominent.

The Blue Fairy breathed a sigh, folding her hands. "I knew that you'd be coming here to say that, Nova." She murmured.

"I know what you said to Dreamy." Nova persisted. "And I know why you did what you did." She bowed her head. "But, I still love him."

"Nova, do you understand that you are giving up your dream?" The Blue Fairy regarded her sternly. "You will not be able to be a Fairy Godmother if you make a union with this dwarf."

"I can still help people!" She insisted, fiddling with a pencil for a few moments before causing it to break in half. Wincing, she put the wood pieces on the table in front of her and opted to imitate the Blue Fairy, folding her hands harmlessly. "I helped people as a normal human, didn't I? So did you!"

"That is true." The Blue Fairy breathed a sigh. "I hear your wish. However, I do not grant my permission yet."

Nova looked up, about to reply, when her superior silenced her with a wave of her hand.

"I will give you three weeks to consider this. Do no address me about your decision until after those three weeks are up. Then, you can either begin training as a Fairy Godmother or begin life with the one you love. Understand?"

Nova's face lit up. "Oh, yes! I understand! Thank you! Thank you!" She stood up to leave, somehow tripping over the flat floor on the way out.

**You know, I don't care how many times Emma is called the savior in this. HENRY is the savior, darnit! Does anyone else agree? Anyway, it's hard to predict how Emma's reunion with her parents will turn out in the actual series. I decided to opt for the sappy, happy, warm approach. Because, let's face it, Emma needs more of those moments. I mean, she had Graham die right after kissing her (GO DIE, REGINA!) and nearly lost her son (Again, GO DIE, REGINA!)! Issues will be addressed with her and her parents, obviously. So, don't worry. Review, but don't flame. Flames make Archie/Jiminy sad. Peace out! ^_^**


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